Written By Scott W [Twitter: @ScottMHC14]
Hello and welcome to the first of a mini-series of blog articles looking back at the ‘void’ Season 2019-20, as deemed by the FA. Sufficed to say, I felt it was important to mark what’s been another fascinating campaign in the Essex Olympian League, Essex Senior League & Eastern Senior League South (leagues I’ve watched mostly this season just gone).
Anyway, we begin the series with a look at Division Four, including an array of statistics compiled from the EOFL FA Full-Time website including top goalscorers & top appearance makers in the League fixtures. Thanks for reading.
EOFL Division Four (as of season cut-off point of March 14th 2020)
As with all the EOFL divisions, the season was halted in mid-March 2020 before eventually being curtailed several weeks later. At that point, Roydon took advantage of a fine run of six wins from their last eight matches to get themselves to the top of the standings, with 39 points from their 15 unbeaten matches played. Ten of those matches were at home and the North West Essex side won eight of them, drawing the other two. They also were the best ‘Entertainers’ in the division this term, scoring 67 goals at an average of 4.46 Goals per game (GpG).
Their nearest rivals in second spot were former leaders Chingford Athletic Development, who if I recall correctly were a new side in the EOFL this season, supporting the club to begin a pathway for the first team (who played in Senior One this term) for players. The Ath ‘second-side’ amassed 38 points from their 19 matches, scoring 61 goals in the process (the second best in the division) and having three entrants in the Top Goalscorers listing but more on that later.
Ongar Town Reserves finished in third spot after a mixed campaign, with 28 points from their 17 matches. Five of their nine wins came away from home interestingly though it is also worth noting that only six of those 17 games were at home. A leaky defence arguably stopped them from being nearer the top two at the cut-off point, though it is certainly a campaign to build on next term.
Next, three clubs all on 27 points with goal difference proving decisive in separating them. In fourth spot are Wakering Sports Reserves, having won eight of their 16 matches and having a better defence than their nearest rivals. Forest Glade also ended on 27 points though ended up fifth, because of inferior (and zero) goal difference. They won eight of their 19 matches in total, though had a better second half of the campaign as they rose up the mid-table spots. Catholic Utd’s Reserve side finished in sixth, also on 27 points though because a negative goal difference dragged them down. Continuing the mantra of the first team somewhat, the ‘second-side’ scored 52 goals and conceded 58, the second worst defence in the division. Also, five of their eight wins at their home pitch at the Len Forge Centre [3G].
There lays a gap of seven points before we reach the bottom half sides. Firstly, Galleywood Reserves are in seventh spot, having won six of their 14 matches to end on 20 points. A hard-earned quirk of their season is that they have the fourth best defensive record in the division, with 26 goals conceded. Only three of the top four sides are above them in terms of having a more miserly defensive record. Leytonstone Utd are a point behind them in eighth place, having grabbed six wins from their 15 matches which isn’t bad going when you factor in they were the second weakest in terms of scoring goals in Division Four in 2019-20. Laindon Orient Reserves are just behind in ninth spot, with six wins and nine losses from their 15 matches. Unfortunately, the O’s second-side do have that poorest goal-scoring record this term, along with the third-worst defence. Club Chairman Neil Blackburn will hope for better next term, you feel.
Rounding off the division are Old Chelmsfordians Reserves (10th, 17 points from 15 matches), Shenfield AFC Reserves (11th, 12 points from 16 games) and lastly, Canning Town Reserves who amassed two wins from their 18 matches to end up with ten points, whilst also conceding sixty goals, the worst in the division.
EOFL Division Four – Top Goalscorers 2019-20 Season
| Player | Club/s | League Goals | League Starts | |
| 1 | Franklin Craik | Catholic Utd Res | 19 | 13 |
| 2 | Lewis Watson | Roydon | 17 | 12 |
| 3 | Tom Vine | Wakering Sports Res | 16 | 12 |
| 4 | Lewis Page | Roydon | 15 | 9 |
| 5 | Frankie Goodhall | Ongar Town Res | 14 | 10 |
| =6 | Zak Robinson | Galleywood Res | 12 | 10 |
| James Medlock | Leytonstone Utd | 12 | 15 | |
| =8 | Luke Dimond | Chingford Athletic Dev | 11 | 7 |
| Jack Zielinski | Ongar Town Res | 11 | 7 | |
| George Burton | Chingford Athletic Dev | 11 | 9 | |
| Scout Bown | Roydon | 11 | 11 | |
| 12 | Dean Peck | Galleywood Res | 10 | 7 |
| =13 | James Warder | Catholic Utd Res | 8 | 10 |
| Matthew Gauci | Forest Glade | 8 | 16 | |
| 15 | Umar Ali | Chingford Athletic Dev | 7 | 12 |
Finally, here’s the top page of the Leading Appearance Makers in Division Four (focus on League Starts)
| Appearances | |||||
| Club/s | League Starts | Bench | Total | ||
| 1 | Kian Burton | Chingford Athletic Dev | 18 | 1 | 19 |
| =2 | Joseph Edwards | Forest Glade | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Shaun Warren | Forest Glade | 17 | 0 | 17 | |
| =3 | Nathan Ackie | Chingford Athletic Dev | 16 | 2 | 18 |
| Patrick Clarke | Chingford Athletic Dev | 16 | 1 | 17 | |
| Billy Calder | Shenfield AFC Res | 16 | 0 | 16 | |
| Matthew Gauci | Forest Glade | 16 | 0 | 16 | |
| Charles Simpson | Forest Glade | 16 | 0 | 16 | |
| =8 | Jayson De Araujo | Canning Town Res | 15 | 1 | 16 |
| Harry Holt | Ongar Town Res | 15 | 1 | 16 | |
| Trevor Kabuchu | Ongar Town Res | 15 | 1 | 16 | |
| James Medlock | Leytonstone Utd | 15 | 0 | 15 | |
| Lee Pellin | Laindon Orient Res | 15 | 0 | 15 | |
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